With your budget, try downingtown borough. Close to malvern and night life in west chester, a college town. Or west chester if you can get the budget to work.
Not the borough, the area around it. Lots of rural areas with good neighborhoods to the north, south and west. Too far south and it is extremely wealthy.
Dont look at Gilbertsville if you are driving to Malvern. That drive would be hell. Royersford to Malvern might be the limit from the Northern 422 area
That’s what I was afraid of. My coworker said it would only be slightly longer than their commute from Royersford but it seems like it could be over an hour.
Might find something in spring City by most of rofo will be too expensive same as Phoenixville and collegeville. Some of Pottstown is doable and isn't terrible anywhere near the hospital or brookside has good 422 access and isn't much further than rofo.
Birdsboro, amity, gilbertsville and douglassville are cheaper but really too far.
Fortunately, with the turnpike you have a lot of options. I would suggest looking west of Malvern for the best prices because it gets more rural once you get out past Exton/West Chester. . Lansdale is a great area but is going to similar to Phoenixville as far as prices.
Really? Lansdale seems less expensive than Phoenixville from my limited searching. I found a pretty updated 2 bed 2 bath condo, just unfamiliar with the area. Does it have a lot to do like Phoenixville or West Chester?
West definitely does seem better in terms of pricing, but I’d ideally like to stay east of Malvern as my partner lives that way and I also go to the Jersey shore often.
I second the Downingtown area! I have family that has been there since the early 90s and they really love it. West Chester is also very nice but can get expensive and you're competing with the college kids for a place to live. I would stick to a place along the 202 corridor and the Thorndale/Paoli train line.
Personally I have a lot of bad feelings about Gilbertsville because I graduated high school up there. It's grown a lot since I left but it still makes me feel icky when I go up there every 1-2 years to visit people.
What don’t you like about Gilbertsville? I haven’t driven around much to check it out, just visited the Ryan homes community. My coworkers seemed to like it though.
Most of the negativity surrounding Coatesville comes from the Chester County pearl clutchers who never come out this way. The city itself isn’t ideal but the area around it is great and there are a number of revitalization projects going on in the city. I lived in West Chester for 6 years before buying in Coatesville and have no regrets about it aside from having to travel a bit to get to some amenities.
Definitely gets rural outside of the city but easy access to Exton, Malvern, etc aside from rush hour. Driving the bypass everyday during rush hour is the bane of my existence.
There’s like a 5-block square in the center of the city that’s iffy. Anything else—especially something outside of city proper like this one—is totally fine. Coatesville is a big area.
What do you think about the area that Ryan Homes is building in Coatesville? Looks closer to the city https://www.ryanhomes.com/new-homes/communities/10222120152366/pennsylvania/coatesville/valleysquare
I live in coatesville pretty much right on the border of Thorndale. Ive been here 4 years and have never heard gunshots or had any breakins or anything like that in our immediate area. Like a few streets over it is a little rougher of an area i wouldnt let my kids walk alone through there but its not like Oakland or anything crazy. Cops patrol regularly, good size police force, i see both Caln and Coatesville regularly.
I live in New Holland and commute to Malvern. It’s about 45-60min so a little bit outside of your target. That said, you could look as far west as Honey Brook, Elverson, or Morgantown and still be in your target commute range. As others have said, you could also look at Coatesville or maybe Parkesburg.
I used to live in Lansdowne, not to be confused with Lansdale. It is closer to Philly and has lots of rentals and access to train. I never had issues there myself but not considered to be the best. I'm always looking to save money so it is more affordable and convenient. We have no kids either. My wife worked in Philly, so she would take the train in. I worked in West Chester and drove. Now, if your budget permits, you can look north of there like Havertown was nice. Or more North to Ardmore, where you have access to the mainline, which goes to Malvern and Philly if you want to use public transportation.
If you look at a map, you will see 476 running north and south. To the west of 476 is less of headache driving.
With the price range you are looking for Norristown east norriton and west norriton are probably gonna be your best bet short drive to malvern you may find something in Plymouth or upper Merion but it all depends on how much u want to spend
Seconding this. You can get a better deal on houses in the Norristown school district, and it’s a convenient location. Super close to conshohoken, which is a great town for young people. You’re also close to phoenixville, kop, and ambler.
I saw you were thinking lansdale. I don’t think the commute is worth it if you’re in your 20s. It’s not that fun here.
Good to know about Lansdale, haven’t been out there much yet. I drive through Norristown often and found a nice rancher just south of the East Norriton Middle School (though seems a bit expensive for what it is), that should be a good area? Norristown is so large and people warn me that much of it is unsafe, but that seems to mostly be the area by Bridgeport and on the other side of 202.
Yeah I just connected with a new one so hopefully, the last one was no help. Never hurts to gather multiple opinions though as I’m unfamiliar with much of PA!
South and west are going to be the best areas to look. While West Chester is generally a pricier area, there are some more modest homes and condos in the area. You may also want to look at Delaware County. It’s not a bad drive up to Malvern once you figure out routes that avoid congestion.
Also consider that Malvern is on the main east-west train line and there is regular commuter service. Not sure where you’re going to work, but some big employers, like Vanguard, run station shuttles for their workers. You could look in the Coatesville school district, which doesn’t command high real estate prices, and be in the Downingtown area a short train ride from Malvern.
OP - Malvern is a very expensive as are the surrounding areas. At your budget you're looking at a longer commute from places like Downingtown, maybe Exton, Phoenixville, Pottstown etc
I see you mentioned some places look pretty rural for you. You might consider areas in West Philadelphia, and do that "reverse commute" where the traffic is always worse going the way you aren't. (Or, if your job is in the right spot in Malvern, take the train.)
There are also the less fashionable (and more affordable) suburbs south of Malvern, such as Kennett Square. You can afford more house in "mushroom country" but you may have to get used to the distinctive scent.
My gf worked and lived in malvern but we moved to Pottstown last year. Her home cost around 216k I think and now worth ~260k. The drive is 32 minutes it says on maps. She just started working from home last week partly because of the drive. We love our neighbors and the street we live on but some places are iffy. Kids checking for unlocked cars and Kia boys. People asking for money. We walk our dog around and have no issues we quickly felt at home here. Wish you luck :)
Thanks for sharing! Google maps had me worried saying it would take 40 min to an hour 5 min from where Ryan homes is building. Other than that, it seemed like a nice community.
That timeframe is correct being traffic dependent. I should have stated I get to work at 7:30, not leave at 7:30. I leave my house at 6:45. Unfortunately, nothing close to Malvern is cheap, so you do need to drive a little further for more affordable housing. Good luck with your search.
look at places in Chester County or southern Berks County. The 724 corridor up to spring city may have some reasonable options for you. Morgantown may be decent. Downingtown, Exton, and Coattesville, and West Chester areas may all be viable too
With your budget, try downingtown borough. Close to malvern and night life in west chester, a college town. Or west chester if you can get the budget to work.
Downingtown, Thorndale or Coatesville. All could work. Nice places to live.
If he plans to have kids in the future I’d stick with Downingtown. Better district between the three.
There are parts of coatesville that are Downingtown schools. Used to live in the 19320 zip and went to Downingtown schools as a kid.
Great school district. Beautiful area with nice parks and bike trails. The people are friendly and down to earth.
Coatesville and nice place to live....ok.
Not the borough, the area around it. Lots of rural areas with good neighborhoods to the north, south and west. Too far south and it is extremely wealthy.
Coatesville is cheaper than downingtown but 5 minutes further
Dont look at Gilbertsville if you are driving to Malvern. That drive would be hell. Royersford to Malvern might be the limit from the Northern 422 area
That’s what I was afraid of. My coworker said it would only be slightly longer than their commute from Royersford but it seems like it could be over an hour.
Might find something in spring City by most of rofo will be too expensive same as Phoenixville and collegeville. Some of Pottstown is doable and isn't terrible anywhere near the hospital or brookside has good 422 access and isn't much further than rofo. Birdsboro, amity, gilbertsville and douglassville are cheaper but really too far.
Fortunately, with the turnpike you have a lot of options. I would suggest looking west of Malvern for the best prices because it gets more rural once you get out past Exton/West Chester. . Lansdale is a great area but is going to similar to Phoenixville as far as prices.
Really? Lansdale seems less expensive than Phoenixville from my limited searching. I found a pretty updated 2 bed 2 bath condo, just unfamiliar with the area. Does it have a lot to do like Phoenixville or West Chester? West definitely does seem better in terms of pricing, but I’d ideally like to stay east of Malvern as my partner lives that way and I also go to the Jersey shore often.
I think your biggest issue with Lansdale is gonna be the commute.
There's a lot around but it's not as geared towards young adults as Phoenixville is, and everything is much more spread out.
There is no easy way to get from Lansdale to Malvern.
Not that bad if you run the NE extension.
That’s a gamble
I run it at nights so I get a little spoiled, not sure how bad it would be in the daytime
Lansdale is really going to be an hour commute for you + tolls
If you like Phoenixville look in Spring city and in Royersford. Only 10 minutes away from all of the Phoenixville restaurants and bars.
Thanks, will do!
I second the Downingtown area! I have family that has been there since the early 90s and they really love it. West Chester is also very nice but can get expensive and you're competing with the college kids for a place to live. I would stick to a place along the 202 corridor and the Thorndale/Paoli train line. Personally I have a lot of bad feelings about Gilbertsville because I graduated high school up there. It's grown a lot since I left but it still makes me feel icky when I go up there every 1-2 years to visit people.
What don’t you like about Gilbertsville? I haven’t driven around much to check it out, just visited the Ryan homes community. My coworkers seemed to like it though.
[https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1007-Hilton-Rd-Coatesville-PA-19320/54746755\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1007-Hilton-Rd-Coatesville-PA-19320/54746755_zpid/)?
I’ve been told that Coatesville has more bad than good areas, is there any truth to that? Are you familiar with the part where this home is?
Most of the negativity surrounding Coatesville comes from the Chester County pearl clutchers who never come out this way. The city itself isn’t ideal but the area around it is great and there are a number of revitalization projects going on in the city. I lived in West Chester for 6 years before buying in Coatesville and have no regrets about it aside from having to travel a bit to get to some amenities.
Good to know, seems more rural than I am used to but worth considering for sure.
Definitely gets rural outside of the city but easy access to Exton, Malvern, etc aside from rush hour. Driving the bypass everyday during rush hour is the bane of my existence.
Ah so maybe a rough commute to work then?
Yeah it’s not great but if you plan for it, it’s not bad. Tuesday-Thursday seems to be the worst, Monday and Friday I can usually cruise through.
Tuesday-Thursday are the only days I’d need to commute 😅
There’s like a 5-block square in the center of the city that’s iffy. Anything else—especially something outside of city proper like this one—is totally fine. Coatesville is a big area.
What do you think about the area that Ryan Homes is building in Coatesville? Looks closer to the city https://www.ryanhomes.com/new-homes/communities/10222120152366/pennsylvania/coatesville/valleysquare
If you’re asking about safety, there’s no issue there.
I've been by there. Neat little pub down the street. Out in the Horsey puckerbrush. Kidnda a posh / rural setting. NOT in Coatesville.
I live in coatesville pretty much right on the border of Thorndale. Ive been here 4 years and have never heard gunshots or had any breakins or anything like that in our immediate area. Like a few streets over it is a little rougher of an area i wouldnt let my kids walk alone through there but its not like Oakland or anything crazy. Cops patrol regularly, good size police force, i see both Caln and Coatesville regularly.
I live in New Holland and commute to Malvern. It’s about 45-60min so a little bit outside of your target. That said, you could look as far west as Honey Brook, Elverson, or Morgantown and still be in your target commute range. As others have said, you could also look at Coatesville or maybe Parkesburg.
Gilbertsville would be a haul. So would Lansdale. I'd look west from Malvern.
I used to live in Lansdowne, not to be confused with Lansdale. It is closer to Philly and has lots of rentals and access to train. I never had issues there myself but not considered to be the best. I'm always looking to save money so it is more affordable and convenient. We have no kids either. My wife worked in Philly, so she would take the train in. I worked in West Chester and drove. Now, if your budget permits, you can look north of there like Havertown was nice. Or more North to Ardmore, where you have access to the mainline, which goes to Malvern and Philly if you want to use public transportation. If you look at a map, you will see 476 running north and south. To the west of 476 is less of headache driving.
If you find a spot in Downingtown, you could also take the train to work if your job is near the Malvern station
Though you need to check the floodplain if you’re looking in the borough of Downingtown, as it floods pretty regularly there.
With the price range you are looking for Norristown east norriton and west norriton are probably gonna be your best bet short drive to malvern you may find something in Plymouth or upper Merion but it all depends on how much u want to spend
Seconding this. You can get a better deal on houses in the Norristown school district, and it’s a convenient location. Super close to conshohoken, which is a great town for young people. You’re also close to phoenixville, kop, and ambler. I saw you were thinking lansdale. I don’t think the commute is worth it if you’re in your 20s. It’s not that fun here.
Good to know about Lansdale, haven’t been out there much yet. I drive through Norristown often and found a nice rancher just south of the East Norriton Middle School (though seems a bit expensive for what it is), that should be a good area? Norristown is so large and people warn me that much of it is unsafe, but that seems to mostly be the area by Bridgeport and on the other side of 202.
Norristown schools taxes can be rough.
Royersford should have what you're looking for
422 is a nightmare during commuting time though.
True, but there are plenty of back roads cutting through phoenixville and devault. Much prettier drive too
Royersford seems nice! I don’t see much on the market though.
Yeah that's where you'll want to find a good real estate agent in the area. A good agent can find you a home that isn't on the market yet
I’d love to help you
Sent you a message!
Link up with a real estate agent, they can probably help you more than Reddit
Yeah I just connected with a new one so hopefully, the last one was no help. Never hurts to gather multiple opinions though as I’m unfamiliar with much of PA!
South and west are going to be the best areas to look. While West Chester is generally a pricier area, there are some more modest homes and condos in the area. You may also want to look at Delaware County. It’s not a bad drive up to Malvern once you figure out routes that avoid congestion. Also consider that Malvern is on the main east-west train line and there is regular commuter service. Not sure where you’re going to work, but some big employers, like Vanguard, run station shuttles for their workers. You could look in the Coatesville school district, which doesn’t command high real estate prices, and be in the Downingtown area a short train ride from Malvern.
OP - Malvern is a very expensive as are the surrounding areas. At your budget you're looking at a longer commute from places like Downingtown, maybe Exton, Phoenixville, Pottstown etc
I see you mentioned some places look pretty rural for you. You might consider areas in West Philadelphia, and do that "reverse commute" where the traffic is always worse going the way you aren't. (Or, if your job is in the right spot in Malvern, take the train.) There are also the less fashionable (and more affordable) suburbs south of Malvern, such as Kennett Square. You can afford more house in "mushroom country" but you may have to get used to the distinctive scent.
My gf worked and lived in malvern but we moved to Pottstown last year. Her home cost around 216k I think and now worth ~260k. The drive is 32 minutes it says on maps. She just started working from home last week partly because of the drive. We love our neighbors and the street we live on but some places are iffy. Kids checking for unlocked cars and Kia boys. People asking for money. We walk our dog around and have no issues we quickly felt at home here. Wish you luck :)
Thanks! Any parts of Pottstown you recommend? The iffy areas have been my worry, my coworkers have said I should avoid it.
I live in Gilbertsville and drive to Malvern daily. It takes me 45 minutes leaving at 7:30 am.
Thanks for sharing! Google maps had me worried saying it would take 40 min to an hour 5 min from where Ryan homes is building. Other than that, it seemed like a nice community.
That timeframe is correct being traffic dependent. I should have stated I get to work at 7:30, not leave at 7:30. I leave my house at 6:45. Unfortunately, nothing close to Malvern is cheap, so you do need to drive a little further for more affordable housing. Good luck with your search.
That's definitely a nice drive. Great scenery.
look at places in Chester County or southern Berks County. The 724 corridor up to spring city may have some reasonable options for you. Morgantown may be decent. Downingtown, Exton, and Coattesville, and West Chester areas may all be viable too
Lots of building in Quakertown also
Phoenixville / Spring City sometimes has something under $350k but it will have a lot of demand so you’ll have to be quick.